A bit late to the party, but hopefully some useful info.
As mentioned, SF Bay is probably best for day paddles - lots of options there, but you’ll need to be aware of and mind the currents, winds, and large vessels in the bay. Check in with a local kayaking store, or with locals - BASK.org members, for more details.
Camping around it isn’t really a good idea due to the urban nature, homeless situation, crime/criminals, etc., etc…
Tomales Bay might be an option though, since if I recall correctly, there is camping in, or near there. It is just a bit north of SF Bay, on the coast. The bay is much smaller than SF Bay and you’ll need to mind the tides due to the mud. Nearby Bodega Bay and waters around there are another option too, though it is on the exposed coast, and like SF Bay, can get quite windy and choppy. There is a campground right at the bay, but make sure to reserve well in advance.
There is good recreational fishing at both.
I’ve only been to Catalina in the off-season, and we stayed at the north end of the island, at Two Harbors (as opposed to Avalon, which is the main port). We stayed in the “cabins” there, which are pretty primitive, and no indoor cooking is permitted. Basically, a roof over your head and a bed. You need to bring your own bedding - sheets, pillow cases (possibly pillows - I can’t recall for sure), blankets, etc…
We used that as a launch point for short paddles along the very scenic shores, as well as for extending our range for snorkeling around the island. It worked great, and the underwater scenery was wonderful. Recommended.
I’ve also stayed in Avalon at a small B&B briefly, and it was nice too, though a lot more expensive than the cabin. If you want restaurant options, this is the better location for you on the island. Again, the snorkeling and diving there is great, as is exploring along the shore.
We didn’t do any hiking or biking into the interior, but you can do that as well.
I’d like to go back, and explore the shore more extensively, including the backside (Western shore) of the island one day, though waves and swells on that side are generally larger, since it faces the open sea.
The ferries to the island permit you to carry full-length, rigid kayaks on them (by hand carry, since no vehicles are permitted from the mainland onto the ferry). An extra fee is required to be paid for this, of course. A folding kayak would be very useful here too, if you have one of those. Don’t forget your snorkeling gear.
I’ve also been diving in the Channel Islands, and on one trip back to shore the winds kicked up and the swells were 8’ - 10’ high, which was scary enough on a mid-sized, commercial, sleep-on-board dive boat, about 70 feet long. I can’t imagine being in a sea kayak in waters like that, far from shore.
I’ve paddled part of the Sacramento River - upper, from a dam above Chico, to that town, and it was nice. Paddling all the way to SF Bay could be done, but the lower portion of the Sac River (from Sacramento to the SF Bay) would probably be tedious, not as scenic as the upper portion, and very hot in the Summer (best to do this in the Fall, Winter, or early Spring).
Much of the lower Sac is bounded by tall levies, so much if not all you will see along a lot of sections of that I suspect will be dirt berms. Not exactly what most people are interested in.
Another possible option would be to paddle Lake Tahoe in the Summer, since the lake is beautiful, with a nice backdrop of the surrounding mountains. 72 miles of shoreline, and some campgrounds along the way, though there are long stretches of shore between them, so you might have to commando camp a couple of nights, or have someone meet you with a vehicle to pull out nightly, and then return to re-start at your stopping point the next day.
I imagine you could probably paddle the entire periphery in 3 - 5 days, depending upon how quickly you want to paddle, and if the weather cooperates. There is not a bad spot on the lake, as far as the scenery goes, since if you find some sections of the shore boring, just raise your gaze and enjoy the beautiful mountains and sky.
For day paddles there, Emerald Bay (southwest part of the lake), and Sand Harbor (northeast part of the lake) are best. For Emerald Bay, you’ll need to put it nearby, at DL Bliss State Park, or at a point south of the bay (Camp Richardson or Pope Beach), since the path down to it is a very steep, mile long walk from the parking lot down to the water at Emerald Bay. You can park right at Sand Harbor if you get there early enough, but it is very crowded and parking closes early, so get there before they open in the morning.
I wish the public authorities at/around the lake would make a Kayak Trail with evenly spaced camping and put in/pull out options to facilitate kayaking there.
At the lake, in the afternoon, the winds can kick up quickly, and there are occasional thunderstorms too, so you’ll need to watch the weather and be aware of this. The winds are more of a concern on the eastern side of the lake, and white caps and 4’ waves/swells can occur on the lake.
Tahoe is a lot more commercialized on the SE side of the lake, especially near state-line, and it gets millions of visitors annually, so you’ll need to make your reservations and plans early.
I tried getting a campground this Summer, without success, since ALL the Covid shut-ins were tired of that and booked them up. Apparently, you can now make reservations 6 months of advance, and it seems you need to do that on the day of the 6 month deadline in order to get spots now for camping, apparently.
There are a number of motels and hotels around the lake where you can reserve rooms too, if you prefer to “glamp” as opposed to camping.
I hope that helps.
Let me know if you have any questions.
I’d be happy to meet you at Tahoe next year, if you choose to visit.
